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Governor Pataki issued a stunning veto of legislation known as Reinvestment II. This bill would put into the community mental health sector savings realized from the elimination of state psychiatric hospital beds. Describing himself as committed to the principle of community reinvestment, Governor Pataki objected to the bill on the grounds that, coming as it does from the legislature, it unconstitutionally dictates an item in the Executive budget proposal.

Originally passed by both houses of the legislature in May 2002, the Republican-controlled Senate had held on to Reinvestment II until early this month in an effort to deliver it to the Governor at a strategic time. We had assumed that the bill was crafted in such as way as to be amenable to the Governor's wishes.

In the disapproval letter which was delivered to the Senate, Governor Pataki touts his administration's record of making historic investments in the mental health sector which have made available .a comprehensive array of services and a qualified workforce. The governor's veto comes on the heels of the December 1 implementation of a cost of living adjustment and Medicaid fee increase for mental health services.

Governor Pataki promised to reintroduce a Community Mental Health Reinvestment Program in his 2003-04 Executive budget submission. The budget proposal is expected in early 2003!

(Editor's Note: The following is a statement of the CVMHA, 90 Broad St, New York, NY 10004, 212-742-1600, Fax 212-742-2080, Email: mailbox@cvmha.org.)

The Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies (CVMHA) is bitterly disappointed that the Governor vetoed The Community Mental Health Support and Workforce Reinvestment Program. This bill would have reinvested millions of dollars of savings from the closure of State inpatient psychiatric beds. Because of this veto, community mental health will lose another year of savings derived from hospital bed closures. The vast majority of people with mental illness find care and support from local community agencies.

Reinvestment has been the cornerstone of innovation and enrichment in the community mental health system since 1993. Since the failure to reauthorize the original Reinvestment law in September, 2001, over $35 million dollars has been lost to these programs. This is a critical loss to people receiving mental health services. As the State continues to realize savings from hospital bed closures, dollars must follow clients into the communities.

We think the Governor has missed an opportunity to find a structural way to improve recruitment and retention of qualified workers for the community mental health system. In the face of this loss to community mental health, it is somewhat hopeful that the Governor has promised in his veto message that he intends to propose legislation in the 2003-04 Executive budget submission to reestablish the Community Mental Health Reinvestment Program.. The Coalition looks forward to the realization of the Governor's promise!